Bottom Line or Paulo Freire’s Liberating Education

Felix Cruz

Fordham University

September 21, 2009

According to Elias & Merriam (2005), the historical purpose of education has been the propagandizing of the prominent cultural heritage and the maintaining of existing society (cultural status quo). Education has been promoted on the assumptions that society will remain the same from generation to generation and that the dominant culture should impart its wisdom on the disenfranchised in order to maintain the status quo. The status quo can be defined as the intentional push by the establishment to increase the bottom line of those in power through through the educational mandates in the curriculums presently followed by our educational system.


Educators that expound progressive and humanistic philosophies of education seem to utilize education to change society through the belief in self-actualization and student-centered education. In reality, it’s only the radical critics that take action in promoting changes in society by utilizing history and culture and by combining reflective activity with actions.

One of the most prominent philosophers of adult education in the radical tradition is Paulo Freire. He identified himself with a Latin American theology of liberation that attempts to emphasize the prophetic and activist elements in the Christian tradition (Elias, 1994).

He denounced evil social values and institutions and called his followers to bring about social change. Freire believed that traditional education was just “banking education” in which teachers deposit information for the students to receive, file, and store. Elias & Merriam (2005) state that this type of education, according to Freire, is a form of violence, for in imposing curricula, ideas, and values, it submerges the consciousness of the students and produces an alienated consciousness since students are not actually involved in a real act of knowing, but are given a ready-made view of social reality.

In place of “banking education”, Freire offers a liberating, dialogic, philosophy of education known as posing education. He believes that in order for an educational process to be authentic students must be free to create their own lessons with the help of the teacher. The lessons must be based on mutual respect, communication, and solidarity.

King & Wang (2007) state the following:

Whereas banking education anesthetizes and inhibits creative power, problem-solving education involves a constant unveiling of reality. The former attempts to maintain the submersion of consciousness; the latter strives for the emergence of consciousness and critical intervention in reality. (p. 202)

Paulo Freire’s philosophy of radical critical liberating education can be a source of strength for those educators who are trying to transform their students to individuals to cherish human values and are liberated in their consciousness to the point where they can contribute to changing our society to one that is sensitive to the history and culture of its constituents.

References:

John, L. E., & Merriam, S. B., (2005). Philosophical foundations of adult education (3rd ed., ch. VI). Malabar, Florida: Krieger Publishing Company
King, K. P., & Wang, V. (Eds.). (2007). Comparative adult education around the globe (ch. 8). Hangzhou, PR China: Zhejiang University Press. Worldwide distribution: Transformation Education LLC. (ISBN 7-308-04892-6)